Compensation selector



1949 w. PLUMLY 2,486,874

COMPENSATION SELECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1946 Nov. 1, 1949aw. PLUMLY COMPENSATION SELECTOR Filed June 27, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmm m man w FIG. 3

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'1949' s. w. PmJMLY COMYENSATION SELECTOR Filed June 27', 1946 5Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGS Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECOMPENSATION SELECTOR George W. Plumly, Dayton, Ohio, assignor toGeneral Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a compensation selector and more particularlyto a device for use in determining the compensation to be paid salesmen.

One object Of this invention is to provide a simple device which may beused for determining a given salesmans base pay, his commission on eachsale, and the bonus payments for various accomplished sales volumes.

Another object of this invention is to assist dealers in determiningtheir average sales cost under a fixed salary plus commission and bonusplan for various accomplished sales volumes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a simple device forappraising salesmen and dealers of the amount of money a salesman shouldbe paid for various accomplished sales volumes under several differentplans or rates of payment.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device whichmakes it possible to expose, at conveniently spaced points, a fewsalient figures from a vast amount of compactly arranged information.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

In referring now to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the compensation selector;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the center of the selector;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the front side of thecompensation selector;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the front window elementremoved;

Fig. 5 is a front view with parts broken away so as to expose the backpanel and portion of the indicia bearing disk; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the rear side of the compensationselector.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferredform of my invention, reference numeral [0 designates generally the mainframe of the selector which comprises a front panel [2 and a rear panelI4 spaced from the front panel l2 by means of the spacer or insert IS. Adisk or dial [8 which is made of slightly thinner material than thespacer I6 is rotatably supported between the front panel I2 and the rearpanel I4, The dial I8 is provided with a central bearing aperturewhereby the disk is rotatably supported on a centrally locatedcylindrical element 22. The element 22 is rotatably supported in themain frame W as best shown in Fig. 2 and has secured thereto by means ofrivets as a window element 24 which overlies the front panel l2. Amanipulator element 26 which is arranged adjacent to the back panel M asbest shown in Fig. 2 is likewise secured to the element 22. It will benoted that the front window element 25, the dial l8 and the manipulatorelement 28 are all circular in shape and that the manipulator element 26is somewhat larger in diameter than the window element 24. The size ofthe manipulator element 26 is such that it may easily be operated by thefingers of anyone holding the device in his hands. Likewise, it will benoted that the size of the window element 24 is such that it may berotated without interference from ones thumbs which naturally engage thefront face of the device when the device is held in ones hands. Thelower edge of the frame It is cut away as at 32 so as to expose theouter edge of the dial 8 for manipulation purposes.

By virtue of the above described arrangement it is obvious that the dial18 may be rotated independently of the rotatable elements 24 and 26. Thedial 18 has printed thereon all of the information relating to theweekly salary, commission, bonus, salesmans average earnings and dealersaverage cost as will be apparent from the following description. Thisinformation is arranged to be viewed through suitable openings orintegral transparent areas 38, 39, 48, 4!, 42, 43 and 44 provided in thewindow element 24. (In View of the small scale required in showingFigures 1, 4, and 5, much of the printed matter has been omitted fromthese figures.) By referring to Figure 3, which is on a large enoughscale to show the printed matter visible at a given setting of theselector, it will be noted that the selector conveniently displays andlabels the pertinent information and that instructions for operating theselector are printed directly on the selector.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawing it will be noted that the upperportion of the window element 2d has been marked off by radial lines 35and arcuate lines 31 so as to distinctly set apart the various paymentsto be made. All of the parts of the selector are preferably made oftransparent plastic which is coated on the one side with an opaquematerial except for certain places that are left uncoated so as to formwindows through which the desired information is Visible. All of theprinted matter on the exposed parts is placed on the protected side ofthe transparent material so as not to be rubbed off by repeatedhandling. It is to be understood that the various parts of the selectormay be made of a suitable plastic material which will render allportions of the parts opaque except the window portions thereof whichmay be in the form of openings in the parts, or these windows may beformed integrally with the parts by clear or transparent plasticmaterial.

In order to operate the compensation selector the first step to be takenis to turn the dial l8 until the salesmans estimated yearly volume(which should. b his yearly quota) appears in the top window ortransparent-portion 3 provided in the front panel i2. The-numbersdesignating the salesmans estimated yearly volume are placed at spacedpoints adjacent the outer periphery of the dial it as best shown inFigure 5. With the particular setting of the dial indicated in Figure 3,the number 30,000 appears in the window as as the .salesmans estimatedyearly dollar-volume. The second step to be taken is to:set the arrow 36to what is called the desired plan. -The arrow 36 is in the form ofa'transparent arrow-shaped window through which the percentage membersappearing on the front of the panel l2 (see Figure 4.) may be viewed.Certain. establishments-operate on one percentage basis or. percentageplan whereas other establishments operate on a different percentage planand since "the: salesmans compensation is different for each difierentpercentage plan, it is obvious that a differentset of figures isnecessary for each percentage plan.: The shifting of the window element24 so as to shift-the arrow from one percentage. plan to anotherpercentage plan causes shifting of the windows 38 through A l from oneset offigureson the dial [8 to another set of figures. As explained bythe printing ontthe-window element 24 (Figure 3) the windows 38- throughdesignate respectively the salesmans weekly salary in terms of dollars,the salesmans commission on each sale in terms of percentage, thesalesmansmonthly bonus on a months saleslif monthly quotais made, theminimum yearly bonusin terms of percentage if quota is made-theminimumyearly bonus in terms of dollars ifquota .ismade, the average yearlyearnings if the exact quotaslare. made, and the average \monthlyearnings if .the exact quotas are made.

.The fi ures that are exposed through the windows through '56 are all onthe dial l8 and are arranged as bestshown in Figure 5. It will be notedthat the figures are very compactly arranged in a definite order andthat while a large number of figures are present onthe dial l8 only afew scattered figures are visible through the windows 38 through 44 atany one setting of the window element 2 3. As best shown in Figure 4,the front panel i2 is provided with a plurality oftransparent windowportions 46 which expose only every other one of the radially arrangedcolumns of figures on the .dial l8. .Whereas only the one column of,numbershas been shown in Figure 4, it is obvious that a complete columnof numbers would be visible through .each one of the windows. 36. Dasheshavebeen used to designate the locations of the various numbers in thesedrawings where the scale of the drawing is too small to justify showingthe actual numbers.

As indicated by the instructions on the front face of the window element24, the fourth step in using the selector is to turn the selectorover.,,

adjacent the window 58.

4 As shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, the rear disk or manipulatormember 26 is provided with a window element 56 which is adapted to lineup with any one of several window elements 52 provided in the rear frameelement M so as to expose a series of figures 54 placed on the rear sideof the dial E8. The figures 56 which are exposedt-hroughthewindow 5Bdesignate the salesmans average earnings for various sales volumes asgiven by the bracketed figures 55 appearing The average earnings aregiven on. the dial [8 both in terms of dollars per month and in terms ofdollars per year. In

:order todetermineathe average earnings for a givensales volume inthousands of dollars, it is a necessary to read the figures givenopposite the numbers filiowhich correspond to a given salesmans salesvolume. Thus, if a given salesmans sales volume in thousands of dollarsfor a given year has been $20,000, his average monthly earnings(asrshownopposite the number 20) .will have been and his average yearlyearnings'will have beenv $2,520v for-the setting of the selector shownin Figure 6. Radial lines St on the dial t8 divide the columns. ofnumbers designating the average earnings per month from the columns ofnumbers designating-the average earnings per year.

Step number 6 in using'the selector is to refer to the window 68 in theelement 26. These values reveal the dealers average cost in percent. Thefigures designatingthe dealers average costare carried on the rear sideof the dial is as indicated in Figure 6- The rear panel i i of the frameH3 is provided with transparent window portions 52 through which thedealers average cost figures are visible. By virtue of the windowarrangements explained hereinabove, it is obvious that the variousindicia or numbers carried by the dial i8 are fully protected againstwear and alteration by virtue of the fact that the-numbers are onlyvisible through the transparent portions of the panels l2 and M whichenclose the dial l8.

While the form of. embodiment ofthe invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to bev understood that other formsmight be adopted, as maycome within the scope of the claims. whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a salesmans compensation selector, a frame, anindiciabearing-membermovable relative to said frame, said frame and saidmember having complementary indexing means whereby said member and saidframe may be set. in different relative. positions in which eachposition is indicative of adiiferentestimated sales volume, and a windowelementv disposed in overlapping relationship to said. indicia'bearingmember andsaid frame, said frame and said window element.v havingcomplementary indexing m ans whereby said frame and. said window elementmay be set in differentrelative positions in which each positionisindicative of a different compensation plan, said indicia bearingmember hav ing thereontabulated compensation information for each ofsaid estimated sales volumes and-each of said compensation plans,.saidwindow element having window means arranged to display compensationvinformation forcnly one estimated sales volume and for only one.compensation plan for any .one setting of said window. element relativetosaid frame andsaid indiciabearing member, and a manipulator elementsecured to said window element anddisposedat the rear of said frame,said.v frame and said. manipulator element having registering windowmeans for exposing indicia on the rear side of said indicia bearingmember.

2. In combination, a frame having a front panel and a rear panel, saidpanels having opaque and transparent portions, a rotatable dial disposedbetween said front and rear panels, said dial having indicia thereonmovable into and out of registry with said transparent portions in saidpanels, a rotatable hand engaging element disposed adjacent the rear ofsaid rear panel, a window element disposed in front of said front panel,means for securing said hand engaging element to said window element soas to cause said elements to rotate in unison, said rotatable dialhaving an exposed portion for manipulating the dial, said hand engagingelement having window portions movable into registry with indicia on therear side of said rotatable dial, and indicia on said hand engagingelement adjacent said window portions arranged in alignment with indiciaon said dial.

3. In combination, a frame having a front panel and a rear panel, anindicia bearing dial disposed between said front and rear panels, meansfor rotatably supporting said dial between said panels, a first windowelement disposed in front of the front panel and a second window elementdisposed behind the rear panel, said front and rear panels havingradially disposed areas for exposing indicia on said dial, said firstand second window elements having windows for exposing a portion only ofthe indicia exposed by said areas in said panels, and means connectingsaid window elements to one another and serving to permit movementthereof in unison relative to said panels.

4. In combination, a frame having a front panel and a rear panel, anindicia bearing dial disposed between said front and rear panels, meansfor rotatably supporting said dial between said panels, a first windowelement disposed in front of the front panel and a second window elementdisposed behind the rear panel, said front and rear panels havingradially disposed areas for exposing indicia on said dial, said firstand second window elements having windows for exposing a portion only ofthe indicia exposed by said areas in said panels, said window elementscomprising a pair of circular disks, said means for rotatably supportingsaid indicia bearing dial comprising a cylindrical element journaled insaid front and rear panels and serving to connect and rotate said disksin unison.

5. In combination, a frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel,said panels having transparent window portions, said front and rearpanels each having a substantially centrally located bearing aperture, arotatable unit comprising a manipulator element disposed adjacent therear of said rear panel and a window element disposed in front of saidfront panel and secured to said manipulator element for rotationtherewith by means of a cylindrical hub journaled radially inward ofsaid apertures provided in said front and rear panels, a rotatable diskdisposed between said front and rear panels and journaled on said hubfor rotation relative to said rotatable unit and relative to said frame,and said disk having indicia thereon movable into and out of registrywith said transparent portions in the front and rear panels.

6. In a salesmans compensation selector, the combination; a frame havinga front panel and a rear panel; said panels having transparent por- 6tions; a rotatable indicia bearing disk disposed between said front andrear panels; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers onthe front side thereof; said numbers being arranged in sets designatingthe bonus to be paid on a months sales if monthly quota is made, theminimum yearly bonus to be paid if yearly quota is made, the averageearnings for a year if exact quotas are made, the commission to beallowed on each sale and the weekly salary to be paid; a rotatablewindow element disposed in. front of said panel having circumferentiallyand radially spaced transparent windows arranged for exposing said setsof numbers; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers on therear side thereof designating salesmans average earnings for variousaccomplished sales volumes and dealers average cost for variousaccomplished sales volumes; and a rotatable window element disposed atthe rear of said rear panel and secured to said first named windowelement so as to rotate therewith; said last named rotatable windowelement having columns of numbers indicative of various sales volumesarranged adjacent windows through which certain of said columns ofnumbers on the rear side of said disk are visible.

7. In a salesmans compensation selector, the combination; a frame havinga front panel and a rear panel; said panels having transparent portions;a rotatable indicia bearing disk disposed between said front and rearpanels; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers on thefront side thereof; said numbers designating the bonus to be paid on amonths sales if monthly quota is made, the minimum yearly bonus to bepaid if yearly quota is made, the average earnings for the year if exactquotas are made, the commission to be allowed on each sale, and theweekly salary; a rotatable window element disposed in front of saidpanel having circumferentially and radially spaced transparent windowsarranged for exposing numbers from a plurality of said columns; saiddisk having radially disposed columns of numbers on the rear sidethereof designating salesmans average earnings for various accomplishedsales volumes and dealers average cost for various accomplished salesvolumes; and a rotatable window element disposed at the rear of saidrear panel and secured to said first named window element so as torotate therewith; said last named rotatable window element havingcolumns of numbers indicative of various sales volumes arranged adjacentwindows through which certain of said columns of numbers on the rearside of said disk are visible; said last named rotatable element beinglarger in diameter than said first named rotatable element so as toserve as the operator for both of said elements.

8. In combination, a supporting frame having a front panel and a rearpanel, said panels having transparent portions, a rotatable indiciabearing disk disposed between said front and rear panels, said diskhaving radially disposed columns of numbers thereon movable into and outof registry with said transparent portions, a rotatable manipulatorelement disposed adjacent the rear of said rear panel, and a rotatableselector element having transparent portions disposed in front of saidfront panel to selectively conceal and expose numbers on said disk,means for securing said manipulator element to said selector element soas to cause said elements to rotate in unison, said 7 manipulatorelement havmg h'ansparent por- I UNHED STATES PATENTS tmns movable mtoreglstry wlth transparent portions of said rear panel so as 'to exposeindicia on u b Name Date the rear side of said rotatable indic'iabearing 798,987 Whitaker Sept. 5., 1905 disk. 5 1,253,562 Appelbau-mJan. 15, 1918 1,360,726 Crook Nov. 30., 1920 GEORGE W. PLUMLY. 1,453,100Fulgora, Apr. 24, 1923 1,519,253 Harper Dec. 16, 1924 CES CI D 1,593,484Bonzer July 20, 1926 The following references are of record in the 101,751,835 Rlehle 251 1930 m this p t Huber Dec. 15,

